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Timeshare Owners Buck Vacation Deprivation Trend

"Who Killed Summer Vacation?”

“Life In A
No-Vacation Nation.”

“Americans Leave Paid Vacation Days on the Table Each
Year.”

These are headlines that have dominated news
coverage over the last several months. And the statistics are just as
depressing: 429 million vacation days unused, $224 billion in unused vacation
liability on the U.S. private sector, the average U.S. worker takes almost a
week less vacation per year today than they did between 1976 and 2000. However,
we are also seeing what our industry and others in the broader travel industry
are doing to change the American mindset that vacations aren’t just a luxury
but a necessity. From commissioning
research and studies to launching advertising campaigns and program
initiatives, hospitality leaders everywhere are making the commitment to help
change the way vacation is viewed in this country.

In the August feature story of Developments, Geri Bain explores what
timeshare owners have known for years: vacations are good for you. “Vacation On
My Mind” shares some of the quantifying research illustrating the various benefits
of vacationing—including the role that timeshare owners are playing to help
buck the vacation deprivation trend. While we’ve known for years that the
pre-paid nature of our products ensure that owners actually take their
vacations, we are now learning that the benefits owners gain from vacationing
far outweigh the price paid for a vacation. Slowly but surely we are starting
to see other leisure-impacted industries taking note of the effect vacationing
has on lifestyle, productivity, relationships and health.

Sustainability & High-Tech Design: A Leading Development
Trend in our Industry

by Kathryn
MullanSenior Editor, Developments MagazineJuly 20, 2015

After seven
long years of absorbing existing inventory, the industry is seeing a
substantial up-tick in new construction. That is why this month’s Developments issue on Construction &
Design is such a welcomed topic!

This month’s magazine
explores design trends for the hospitality industry, as well as resort
amenities and services that travelers have come to expect and use to measure
their vacation. These trends and travel preferences have grown at lightning speed
over the past several years. As a result, timeshare developers are making more
frequent investments in resort design that incorporate sustainability features
and high-tech amenities than just a few short years ago. And the additional
investment is paying off.

Guests want—and
rely on—connectivity while on vacation. And while resorts now offer Wi-Fi
capability throughout properties, resorts are also looking for ways to offset
energy consumption and employ more energy efficiencies through sustainable
measures, such as more efficient lighting sensors, multiple-unit charging
stations, and multi-media viewing capabilities through smartphone devices (among
other offerings). Additionally, indoor and outdoor design and resort
construction features more recyclable and sustainable materials than ever
before and from manufacturers and businesses that are eco-friendly themselves—a
factor that is important to many owners and prospects. Today, more resorts are
committed to sourcing sustainable materials for new build and renovation
projects. Read more in
Christine Blank’s feature article.

Sustainability
measures are also being undertaken by resorts through programs and initiatives that
inspire owners and guests to take active part. Wyndham Vacation Ownership, for
instance, has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation for the last five years via
a planting-tree program that invites owners to offset their carbon emissions
when traveling on vacation. From as little as $2 a day (tax-deductible) during
their stay, owners and guests can have a donated tree planted in one of the nation’s
state or national forests; these trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide, as well
as purify the air and clean the Earth’s water supply. WVO has already received
positive feedback from participating owners, who are passionate about green
programs. See full details in Lesley Harris’s July article.

2014 Shows Steady Growth for Our Industry

By Darla Zanini,Executive VP, ARDA International Foundation (AIF)

July 15, 2015

We are happy to share the latest research from
our State of the Vacation TimeshareIndustry: United States Study 2015. It shows that the timeshare industry
enjoyed steady growth in 2014. Here are
a few of the highlights.

When comparing 2014 to 2013:

Sales volume increased more than four percent,
to $7.9 billion;

1,555
timeshare resorts in the United States, representing
about 198,490 units;

Average
resort size was 128 units;

The average
sales price was $20,020; and

Occupancy increased
two percent, up to 78 percent (compared to a 641 percent hotel
occupancy rate).

There were some other interesting tidbits as well:

Beach resorts are the most common type of resort;

Theme park resorts have the highest occupancy;

Florida has the most resorts—23% of the national total;

Nevada has the largest average resort size—182 units on average; and

Hawaii has the highest occupancy rate for a region, at 85.3%.

For more
details, check out our infographic
and for a full copy of the State of the Industry Study, please contact me
at dzanini@arda.org.